Lepista saeva - Field Blewit

Lepista saeva, the field blewit, is less common than its close relative the wood blewit, and differs in having a cap coloured greyish brown rather than violet even when young; its preferred habitat is calcareous grassland, although occasionally this edible mushroom can be found in woods.

Cap	The smooth cap, up to 12 cm in diameter, is usually domed but older specimens sometimes become slightly concave. Old specimens sometimes develop wavy cap margins.
Gills	Sinuate and crowded, the gills are almost white when young, turning pinkish buff as the fruitbody matures.
Stipe	15 to 25 mm in diameter and 4 to 6cm tall, the stipe is solid and oftern slightly bulbous at the base.
Spore print	Pale pink.
Odour/taste	Strongly perfumed with a pleasant taste.
Habitat	Chalk or limestone grassland; occasionally in woods on calcareous soil.
Season	Most plentiful from September to January and sometimes well in to February.
Occurrence	Common.
Similar species	Lepista nuda, the Wood Blewit, is a more common species; it is very similar but has a violet tinge to the cap.

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Lepista saeva - Field Blewit

Cap

Gills

Stipe

Spore print

Odour/taste

Habitat

Season

Occurrence

Similar species